As we move towards the shopping season, the transfer window will open and our shop window is open for several players who appear not to be making the grade at Manchester United.
The first team does seem to be settling down but rumours have been growing that Real Madrid covet our Stray Cat keeper (that’s David De Gea if you didn’t get my joke) despite his Draculian fear of crosses, and his love life does add to the speculation. I don’t see United letting him go until his contract renewal is in negotiation though.
Across the back four we await the return of the new Duncan Edwards in Phil Jones and Chris Smalling. There have been no new Nemanja Vidic exit rumours since his injury and Alexander Buttner giving Evra the occasional rest does seem to cement that part of the team.
Michael Keane and Scott Wootton, who impressed last night against Chelsesa are on the verge of the first team and more likely to play in the Cups or Champions League group stages games after we secure the last of our 10 point target.
In midfield the issue is Anderson. An expensive buy, his performances have been inconsistent since the start of last season and Tom Cleverley has moved above him.
Paul Pogba might have been wrong to move because with Nick Powell coming into the picture and Anderson fading away there is certainly a need to find the new Roy Keane which Anderson is not. He could be released in January as makeweight or funds for a serious purchase.
In attack the new diamond midfield, the buy of Shinji Kagawa and the flexibility of the Danny Welbeck-Wayne Rooney-Robin van Persie trio means less game time for Nani as Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia are the first choice wingmen.
Could Nani depart? I think not. He is an impact player and we need that sense of the unusual and he remains a streaky form player that works when he is hot.
So we will sell Anderson and try to buy at least one box to box player I think.
Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes seem to be in their last season, the reliance on Michael Carrick is too much and the development of Rooney to the Scholes role underlines the need for cover to the central defenders from midfield.
If Anderson was the player we hoped he would become then he would be perfect.
The trouble is, he is not!
By Steve Burrows CBE @ifollowsteve
Nani has to go. His attitude towards team play is dreadful. Anderson's fitness is an issue but let's hope that his excellent performance against Chelsea is a sign of things to come. Unless we can get a truly world class midfielder (doubtful) we should concentrate on developing our own talent such as Cleverley, Powell, Tunicliffe, Brady, Lindegard etc. That would allow us to rely less on Carrick and hopefully give Fletch time to get back to his best. In the meantime Scholes and Giggs are more than capable of keeping the ship steady for the rest of this season and maybe into the next one if necessary. No need to panic. We can wait for the next match winner to come along and hope its someone already in the squad.